After the stabbing incident in Manhattan - protest rally in New York: "The blood is on Mamdani's hands"
Organizers called on participants to bring US flags and raise a joint voice against antisemitism, terrorism, and violence on a racial or religious background. Among the targets is Mayor Zohran Mamdani, known for his extreme anti-Israel positions. The rally comes in response to an incident in which a Jewish and an Asian man were stabbed in the Upper West Side, after the attacker shouted "Allahu Akbar".
Jewish activists and their supporters are currently holding a protest rally in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, following the stabbing incident in which a Jewish resident and a resident of Asian descent were wounded last weekend. According to a source familiar with the details who spoke with "HaYom", the attacker, who is of Hispanic descent and has been diagnosed as mentally ill, shouted "Allahu Akbar" during the incident in which the two passersby were wounded, one in his chest and the other in his back. He was caught and is being held for investigation. Among the organizers of the protest are the Israeli-American Council (IAC) and the ENDJEWHATRED movement.
The rally, under the title "Standing Against Hate", is taking place at 509 Amsterdam Avenue, between 84th and 85th streets. The organizers called on participants to bring US flags with them and to raise a joint voice against antisemitism, terrorism, and violence on a racial or religious background.
"This horrific attack reminds us that violent extremism and hate threaten people of all races, religions, and backgrounds. New Yorkers must unite against antisemitism, terrorism, and every form of hate." — the organizers' statement read.
The organizers also leveled sharp criticism at New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, known for his extreme anti-Israel positions, as days earlier he had increased the extremist rhetoric against Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israel before admitting that he cannot act to stop Netanyahu within the limits of the law, as he had promised in his campaign for mayor.
According to them, precisely at a time when Jewish communities are dealing with a disturbing rise in threats and violence, Mamdani is engaged in a "relentless campaign of demonization against the Jewish people and the State of Israel," instead of focusing on fighting threats and increasing public safety.
The rally is intended, according to its organizers, to express solidarity with the victims of the attack and to demand that the authorities take decisive steps against manifestations of hate and extremism in the city.
Tal Shuster, co-chair of the IAC organization, stated:
"The Israeli-American community, together with many other communities in New York, is strong, united, and is not going anywhere. We are here with pride, and no one will silence us. And to the mayor, we have a clear message: focus on the job for which you were elected. Take care of the safety of the residents, clean up the streets, and deal with the real challenges of the city. We will not let you incite or divide."
Among the prominent speakers taking part in the rally are Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the most senior political figure at the event and the one who established a bipartisan team to fight antisemitism, who is running as a Republican for Governor of New York, along with Jewish New York State Assemblyman Michael Novakhov, a Republican representing areas in Brooklyn.
Alongside them will speak Sheikh Moussa Drammeh, a Muslim leader from the Bronx who is active in interfaith dialogue, and Pankaj Mehta, an Indian activist and member of the Interfaith Coalition for Human Rights - a lineup intended to emphasize that the fight against extremism and hate crosses religions and communities.
